New Delhi: In an image-building exercise and win back passengers' confidence, Air India has put in place a 'speedy' grievance redressal mechanism at the airline, including immediate response to any adverse feedback about the quality of its both on board and on-ground services.
The national carrier has set up a dedicated monitoring team, under an executive director level official for this purpose which would conduct surprise checks to ensure safe travel and better service delivery to Air India passengers, a release said.
The dedicated mechanism has been established for improving and maintaining high standards of cleanliness and safety on its aircraft, it said, adding "immediate action will be taken on the feedback shared by the passengers, cabin crew and cabin engineers".
Significantly, Air India's new chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani had said that "enhanced passenger experience, safety and cleanliness, among other issues, were needed to restore the glory of the Maharaja.
"There is a need to enhance passengers experience, which can be done through high standards of cleanliness of the aircraft, improvements to the cabin, audience announcements and courteous behaviour among others to resurrect the old glory of Air India," he had said.
From a monopoly position in the 1990s, Air India has seen a steady decline in the overall market pie. Its market share in July stood at just 16.7 per cent, third after private airlines, IndiGo and Jet Airways.
Air India unions have in the past attributed the decline in its market share to pro-privatisation policies of the successive governments. "Senior executives will undertake surprise checks to monitor and supervise the safety and cleanliness inside and outside the aircraft. They will ensure increased servicing of equipment on-board as well," it said.
According to the release, senior officers from the engineering subsidiary will closely monitor cleaning service providers for quality of cleaning in the cabins. Besides, more manpower will be deployed on each aircraft for cabin upkeep, it said, adding that cabin crew and all concerned with aircraft ground operations including engineers, technicians, helpers, cleaning staff, catering and commercial staff are being sensitized to collectively ensure cabin cleanliness and maintain high standards of service.
